The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-22
THE TEXAS INQUIRY.
A Poor Place to Print Republican Papers-A
Democratic Judge as n Peace Disturber.

A Poor Iiace To Print Republican PaperS-A
Democratic Judge as Peace-Disturber.
WAsHINGToN. Feb. PR. P. .Hackworth
(white) justice of the peace of Washington coun-
ty, Texas, recalled by the Texas investigat-
ing committee to day, and identified the follow
ing note received by him through the mail:
BRENNAN, Dec. 25.
r. p. Haekwortb-Sir: Yon have had tlenty of time
to get away from this county. We know you have
been stealing from this county for the last two years
and and dangerous any of your crowd.
We determined get rid of you. and if you don't
go, and that soon, will proceed to handle as
think best SECRETARY CITIZENS.
Carl Schuetz white, forty one years of age,
one of the memorlahstsl. was sworn. He is
personally Republican, but published an inde-
pendent German paper at Brennan, and after
wards in Galveston. He left Brenham on the
18th of last December. The average Republican
majority in the county was. he believed, 800 or
60o The witness county attorney from
1876 to 1880 The witness made only one speech
during the last campaign. He refused to take
part in it because he wished to devote himself
to his paper. Threats were made during the
campaign by Judge Kirk and against MIR. Hack
worth. They to the effect that Kirk would
hold Hackworth TO account, personally, for any
thing he might say during the campaign. The
witness wrote in his paper about the habit of
the Democratic officials Of summoning class of
jurors who would not do justice to Republicans
The antipathy to him due to the fact that he
had shown up this and other Objectionable prac
tlces to the Germans. He charged his paper
that the courts of the county were run in the in
terest of the rowdy element. He described
some German balls at which American youths
with revolvers created disturbances, for which
the courts afforded redress. Several Ger
mans, in fact, who affiliated with the Democrats
busted themselves melting people against the
witness, declaring that he was making mount
ain out of mole-hill. He read a circular, pre-
pared by himself and signed by the Republican
executive committee, defending and compli-
men ting himself and bitterly assailing a rival
German newspaper in the Officers clique of the
county. He offered to read other articles from
his pen, but, to save time, the committee per-
mitted him to summarize them, for the most
part. One, entitled days of Terror was read
at length The witness had written or verbal
| order to leave town, but to every man who lived
| there ii was very evident that the witness could
| not remain. He was told by Mr. Bryan, a Demo
| crat, that it evident he could not live
there; that they (the Democrats) would kill him.
| Bryan offered to buy out his paper to suppress
| it, offering 5000 $500 The witnesses price
was from 81, 500 to $4,000 The witness, know
| ing his life wasn't worth nickel, left tn night
| He returned subsequently, and closed up his
business, and moved his paper to Galveston
When the train departed three shots were fired
| dow. On cross-examination, the witness said
| no charges were made against him in the rival
| German paper except that he man of bad
| character. When the witness left Galveston
| understanding that men were after him to
| murder him-he sold his paper to his creditors
| for $780, to enable him to get away. His paper
| had the largest circulation of any in Washing
| ton county. The witness knew of no Republican
as prominent himself against whom threats
had not been made. He had been looked upon,
| whether justly or not he could not say. as being
| the most influential Republican in that county.
He was looked upon as working up" the Ger
man element, while MIR. Hackworth was work
| ing up the colored. They (the Democrats)
wanted to get the witness away because they
wanted to control the Germans. The witness
| old not like to say anything against the
| national administration, but the reason why the
| present condition of things did not exist previ-
| ously because the marshals and officers
were Republicans, and the Irregularities were
| vigorously prosecuted. To-day, if Repub.
lican was killed in Washington county, the
guilty men were not punished. The witness
was candidate for county judge against Judge
| Kirk at the last election, and was defeated
| by 582 votes. He claimed that 1,108 votes
| in his favor were thrown out.
| Stephen A. Hackworth. one of the memorial
lists, was sworn. He is forty seven years of age
| He was born in Washington county; is a real
estate agent; in 1870 he was presiding justice oi
the county. The witness, Moore and Schuetz
J the three memorialists the most active
Republican participants In the last county